Stair-rule



G. FKTHIELMFIN..

STAIR RULE.'

I APPLICATION FILED AIII. I2, IsIs.

"l Patented Aug, 10, 1920.

- f I 2 A niff/0 /Ofl il ff y Y l www UNITED SI'TS` Pivriinr OFFICE.

GEORGE F. THIELMAN, 0F ST. CLOUD, MINNESOTA.

STAIR-RULE.

Application filed April 8, 1919. Serial No. 288,477.

between the stringere and the ends of the` treads or risers and this maire-shift renders the steps less secure and involves a waste oi considerable time in building` a stairway.

The object of my invention is to provide a rule by means of which the carpenter can easily ascertain the exact distance between the opposite faces of any portion oi the stringere or rails and then placing the rule on a piece ot lumber can cut it to exactly t the space.

A further object is to provide a rule which can be easily and quickly folded into compact form for packing away or for transportation.

The invention consists generally in various constructions and combinations, all as hereinafter described and particularly. pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings formingpart of this speciiication,

Figure l is a perspective view of a rule embodyingmy invention, placed on a piece oil lumber ready to cut a tread therefrom,

Fig. 2 is a view, showing the rule inserted between the stringere or rails of the stairway to ascertain the exact. distance between them and any variation in the surface oi' t-...e pieces of lumber forming' the stairway.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view showing the manner of using the rule.

Fig'. 4 is a sectional view on the line ldd of Fig'. l, l

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line 55 ot Fig. l,

Fic?. 6 is a sectional view on the line (36 of Fig. l, Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a modified construction of the rule,

Fig'. 8 is a section on the line 8 8 of Fig. l.

in the drawing, 2 represents one section of the rule, and 3 the other section. hese sections are placed one upon the other and a metallic loop el is secured to one end of the section 2 and extends down under the section 3 and forms a guide wherein said section 3 is slidable. The section 3 is provided with a suitable loop 5 which extends over the section 2 and forms a guide therefor, and a clamping screw 6 is mounted in the loop 5 for engaging the section 2 and locking the sections against relative movement when the desired adjustment is ob:`

tained. By loosening this clamping screw the sections may be moved longitudinally one upon the other to increase or decrease the length of the rule.

The ends of. the sections 2 and 3 are provided with plates each being of elbow shapeV with one leg secured lengthwise ot and to the respective section and its lateral leg bent from the plane of theiirst leg to form a depending lugl 8 which functions as a stop when the rule is placed on the piece of lumber to be cut guiding and seating the rule on the lumber. Screws 8a pass through the ends of the plates 7 and through the bars 2 and 3 andare' provided with thumb nuts 9 and comparatively thin arms l0 having longitudinal slots il therein to receive the shanli's oi' the screws d and be locked thereby on the plate 7. llVhen the thumb nuts 9 are loosened, these arms l0 may be swung on vertical axis to any de- Y angle with respect to the bars oin4 the rulez as the faces oi' the stringers. Some stringers Will be clear, straight lumber and the arms may assume a right angle position with respect the rule bars and this may be the case for seine distance between the stringere, but there may be point or several points where the stringere will be warped or twisted in sucha way that the lumber for the `steps can be cut square across but the ends must be oblique slightly to fit the surfaces of the stringers. l-hen the carpenter places the rule on such a part of the stair stringere, thel arms will indicate the irregularity and when the rule is placed on the lumber to be cut the arms will show the exact variation from the right angle and the lumber may he marked and cut accordingly. rl'he slotted ends of the arms allow for 4convenient adjustment lengthwise and Vthe arms are made suf-Y an arm i" anda bar 3 through which the screws nass for securing the angle plate and the arm to the bar of the rule. In this rase l have s iown a wing nut lul 'tor loclringthe plate Vand arm together. `This arm is also inserted between the loop l5 andthe face oi the oar when the tool is not in use, the gap i6 provided between the loop land the bar 3 1seing plainly indicated in Fig. 5.

lilith this devicea carpenter can easily and quiclrly determine lthe exact distance between the side rails or stringers of a stair-V way and cut the threads tn accurately the space and eliminate entirely the entra time and labor usually required in building a stairway when all the-treads are cut the saine length. Y

l claim as my invention:

l. ift stair rule comprising a pair oi' eX- vsensibly .connected-bars, arms mounted on the outer ends of the hars tor adjustment against the inner` faces of the stair stringere when Vpositioned therebetween, stop memher secured to thel outer Vends of the hars, and means including a single memlier 'roi securing each stop member and the acent arm fixed to the respective bars.

2. ji stir rule comprising a pair oi: mounted to slide one upon the other, an arm slidahly and pivotally mounted on the outer end each har, and guide loop on the .inner endA of each liar guidingly receiving the companion har and designed to receiife the Vadjacent arm when the latter is folded into. registry with the respective har and then moved lengthwise thereof for holdingV the arms in their iolded inoperative position.

3. A stair rule comprising a pair of bars mounted to slide one upon the other, an arm slidably and pivctally mounted on the outer end of each bar,a guide loop on the inner end of each 1oar' guidingly receiving the companion bar and designed to receive the adjacent arm when the latter Yis 'olded into registry. with the respective har and then moved lengthwise thereof for holding the arms in their folded inoperative posi.- tion, means i'or securing the arms at their predetermined angular adjustments, and av single means carried by one of said loops for adjustahly securing the hars in their extended operative position and the arms together with the hars in their folded and Vtelesconed incnerative aosition.

L .L Y

Zi. A stair rule comprising a pair of hars mounted to slideone upon the other, an arm slidably and pivotally mounted on the outer end of eachv liana guide loop on the inner end of each har guidingly receiving the companion har and designed to receive the adjacent arm when the latter folded into registry with the respective bar and then moved lengthwise thereof for holding the arms in their folded inoperative position, ,andstop means carried hy the hars Alor abutment. against the work and adapted to limit the folding action oi the arms. when the latter are disposed for insertion in the guide loops.

5. A stair rule comprising a bar-like body, an arm movably connected to each end thereof, van elbow vmember secured to each end ci the body adjacent the respective arm with oneV leg extended lengthwise of the body across said arm and the other leg extended laterally and deflected to form a stop spaced inwardly from the arm, andV 

